Services

State law requires anyone who believes that a child or an adult who is 65 years old or older or who has a disability is being abused, neglected, or financially exploited to report it. SWI’s primary job is to evaluate these reports and route them to the right local office.

Texas Abuse Hotline

The Texas Abuse Hotline accepts reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation from across the state on the phone at 800-252-5400 and on its secure website, Texas Abuse Hotline. The hotline also accepts reports of violations of childcare standards as well as reports of abuse in facilities operated by other state agencies or community providers that serve adults and children with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.

The Statewide Intake program assigns a priority to all reports that meet the legal definitions of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. SWI bases the priority on the safety of the alleged victim and sends each report to the right DFPS program to investigate. SWI also notifies law enforcement agencies in cases that involve children. SWI operates around-the-clock every day of the year, including nights and holidays.

You can learn more about reporting abuse on the Report Abuse page of the DFPS website.

Texas Youth Hotline

This toll-free hotline provides 24-hour confidential crisis counseling, advocacy, and information and referrals to runaways and at-risk youth, their families, and other adults. Volunteers talk, text, and chat with callers who are facing a variety of problems such as family conflict, abuse and neglect, and youth who skip school, or commit crimes, or run away from home.
The Texas Youth Hotline serves youth and their families, school employees, youth-care workers, law enforcement agencies, and anyone in need of community services. Hotline staff and volunteers are available by phone, online chat, and text. Learn more by visiting the Texas Youth and Runaway Hotline website at TexasYouth.org.